


Home comforts

by Rosetylars



Series: Cricverse [20]
Category: Cricket RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:26:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26098603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosetylars/pseuds/Rosetylars
Summary: The last few days at home, before long overseas tours.
Relationships: Marcus Stoinis/Adam Zampa, Mitch Marsh/Pat Cummins, Tim Paine/Steve Smith
Series: Cricverse [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1755766
Comments: 11
Kudos: 9





	Home comforts

**Author's Note:**

> Perth & Hobart, August, 2020.

Considering that Steve was going to be away with the white-ball squad for so long, and that the virus wasn’t a threat in Tasmania, CA granted him a short trip down to Hobart to visit Tim before heading to the UK.

They hadn’t seen each other since Steve had had to return to NSW for preseason training, almost three months ago.

As always, Tim picked Steve up from the airport. Tim waited beside his car, barely able to hold himself back from running to Steve and wrapping his fiancé up in his arms.

Steve beamed as he approached, abandoning his luggage trolley near the back of Tim’s car so he could walk into Tim’s arms and bury his head in the crook of Tim’s neck.

“Timmy,” Steve breathed, leaning up so that he could kiss the older man chastely.

“Hi, baby,” Tim greeted warmly, arms still firm around Steve’s lean torso. “I’ve missed you so much.”

Steve nodded, agreeing. “Missed you more.”

The boys shared several soft kisses before Tim realised Steve had left a huge suitcase and three gigantic kit bags unattended behind them. Luckily for them, the airport was a bit of a ghost town, due to of all of the state border closures, and nobody had even come past.

Tim lifted most of them into the boot with a lot of effort, but the last kit bag had to sit in Tim’s back seat, because they had run out of boot space.

“Did you pack for the UK tour and the IPL, or is this stuff gonna see you through ’til the home summer as well?” Tim teased as they headed to opposite sides of the car, getting settled.

Steve giggled angelically. “I thought I was travelling light,” he deadpanned.

Tim grinned, starting the car and pulling away from the kerb.

Within thirty seconds, Tim’s left hand was gripping Steve’s thigh as he drove with his right. Tim’s engagement band glinted in the sunlight, and the whole picture made Steve melt.

“How was training this morning?” Steve asked.

Tim shrugged, looking in his rear vision mirror for a moment. “It flew by because I was so excited to see you afterwards,” he admitted. “I’ve had butterflies all morning.”

Steve melted, looking at Tim adoringly. “Timmy,” he cooed.

Tim just grinned. “I mean it. Sidds is enjoying it down here, he’s fitting in well. Riley’s beside himself with excitement to be heading on tour, too. I told him you’ll be sharing the flight to Perth, and he was speechless.”

Steve smiled, touched. “That’s so sweet. I’m nothing special, though. Maybe I’ll bond with him on the flight over our love for you,” he chuckled.

Tim narrowed his eyes at Steve momentarily, for being too sappy, but he couldn’t stop the warm glow in his chest at the sweet suggestion. “He doesn’t _love_ me,” Tim protested.

Steve screwed up his face. “Timmy, Bails saw that shirtless picture of you in Riley’s camera roll. He had physically saved it to his phone,” he pointed out.

Tim grimaced. So, maybe his (much) younger Tasmanian teammate did have a small crush. It wasn’t as if Tim were looking, though - he was blind with love for Steve, and their wedding was coming up in seven months’ time.

It wasn’t long before they had arrived at Tim’s, and with a lot of effort, they managed to get all of Steve’s bags through the front door.

“I’m finally home,” Steve smiled, pressing a kiss to Tim’s lips.

Tim grinned, wrapping Steve up in a long hug. “What would you like for dinner? I’ll make anything you feel like. I’m so happy you’re here.”

***

The entire Aussie squad was going to fly to the UK from Perth, which was a bit of a novelty. The flight would be a non-stop charter to avoid the biosecurity issues that would surround a layover.

CA had helped Pat organise an early flight to spend a few days with Mitch at home, before the tour. The same went for Adam - the two of them were sharing a flight from Sydney.

Mitch and Marcus headed to the airport early to greet the boys’ flight. By virtue of Perth’s airport being split up across two different locations, it was a pretty low risk area, so the boys were allowed to head into the terminal to greet their partners.

Almost nine years into his relationship with Pat, Mitch sat in the airport cafe with Marcus, his stomach full of butterflies.

For one of the first times in Mitch’s life, he was actually early. He had been looking forward to seeing Pat for so long that he had almost considered camping out at the airport the night before… until Shaun had told him that he was an idiot, and that Pat’s flight wouldn’t arrive any sooner, no matter how long Mitch was at the airport.

Marcus tapped Mitch’s foot with his own, under the table, snapping Mitch out of his thoughts.

“How’re you feeling?” Marcus asked.

Mitch grinned nervously. “Excited. I always miss him, but this was the first time we were apart since the wedding,” he replied.

Marcus gave Mitch one of his friendly grins. “How long has it been since you saw him?”

“Almost three months,” Mitch sighed. “It was like… we got married, enjoyed time in Sydney, then spent a lot of time here in Perth, but it felt like too soon before he had to go home for preseason.”

Marcus nodded sympathetically. “Distance can’t take away that ring on your finger, though,” he pointed out.

Mitch grinned, at that, inspecting his gold wedding band adoringly. “Or the name on my license,” he mused, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket to show Marcus his new ID.

Marcus took it from him to have a proper look, grinning fondly. “Look at you, all grown up,” he cooed.

Mitch grinned, before checking his watch.

“Mate, they’re not due in for another ten minutes,” Marcus explained calmly.

“How are you so chill about this?” Mitch asked. By now, he was bouncing his leg so much that the table was shaking, but Marcus didn’t comment.

“Adsy and I have always had a lot of distance and uncertainty in our relationship. We just FaceTime until ridiculous hours of the night, and feel very grateful when opportunities like this come up, for us to go on tour together,” Marcus explained.

Mitch nodded, listening. “Must be getting pretty serious by now?”

Marcus blushed slightly, barely perceptible on his olive skin. “Two and a half years, yeah,” he replied. Marcus watched idly as another cafe patron carried a coffee to a nearby table. His face took on an adoring expression, seemingly lost in thought, before he spoke again. “Adsy’s grown his hair out again, it looks super cute,” he gushed. “It curls at his neck. It looks so soft, I can’t wait to touch it-“ Marcus stopped abruptly, cringing at himself.

Mitch just chuckled, waving a hand through the air. “Don’t even worry. I feel the same way about Patty’s hair. It’s gotten so long, I’m obsessed with it,” he admitted with a soft laugh.

The boys laughed at themselves for a little while, over how whipped they were for their partners.

Soon, it was time for them to head to the arrival gate, and it wasn’t long before Pat and Adam were disembarking.

Pat caught sight of Mitch immediately, and tried not to run to him. When Pat was close, though, he sped up, and Mitch spun him around in a hug to absorb the impact.

“Look at you,” Mitch marvelled, running a hand back through Pat’s hair immediately.

Pat grinned. “Do you like it?”

“Baby, I tell you I like it every time we FaceTime,” Mitch chuckled. “Of course I do!”

Pat grinned, kissing Mitch once more before releasing him, though a hand still held Mitch’s jaw, grateful to be reunited at last.

Beside them, Adam was still in Marcus’ arms, the older man peppering kisses to his forehead.

“Come on, let’s give them some space,” Pat suggested, interlacing his fingers with Mitch’s as they walked in the direction of the baggage claim, a few paces ahead of the other pair.

***

“Mitchy, you finally put up our wedding pictures!” Pat exclaimed, taking a proper look at the hallway wall now that the two of them had dragged all of Pat’s luggage into the house.

They stood in the hallway, Pat’s arm around Mitch’s waist, his head on the older man’s shoulder. Mitch’s arm was slung low around Pat’s hips, and he raked his spare hand back through Pat’s long hair.

“I can’t take the credit for that,” Mitch admitted. “Every time Shaun came over, he asked me when I was hanging them up, and I kept putting it off... so a few weeks ago, he came over with a hammer and nails, and hung them all up for me,” he explained.

Pat laughed, throwing his head back. “Oh my god, of course he did,” he chuckled. “Are we seeing the family tomorrow?”

“Yeah, if you want to,” Mitch replied.

Pat nodded. “Yeah, I haven’t gotten to congratulate them on the pregnancy in person yet,” he reminded.

Mitch melted at the way Pat loved Mitch’s family like his own. He pressed a kiss to Pat’s temple.

“Come on, baby, time to relax, you’ve been travelling all day,” he declared.

***

Adam was sitting on Marcus’ kitchen island, Marcus standing between his legs. Adam leant down to kiss Marcus, tangling a hand in his boyfriend’s thick hair.

“I’ve missed you, Adsy,” Marcus mumbled against Adam’s lips.

“You’re so sappy,” Adam teased, as they separated for breath. Marcus’ hands were on Adam’s thighs, and the feeling was intoxicating after so long across the country from each other.

Marcus cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes.

“Sorry. I missed you too,” Adam amended, making Marcus grin.

After a little while just appreciating being back in each other’s presence, Adam yawned, and Marcus lifted him down from the bench.

“Do you want to cuddle and watch a movie?” Marcus asked.

Adam grinned - the proper, happy smile that he saved for Marcus, without a hint of sarcasm - and nodded, as Marcus took his hand and headed towards the couch.

If, half an hour later, Marcus’ arm was numb because Adam had fallen asleep on him, on the couch... he wouldn’t have changed a thing.

***

As had become common when Pat returned to Perth, he had fallen asleep hours earlier than Mitch because of his body clock. Pat always offered to take the spare room on his first night, so he didn’t disrupt Mitch as he acclimatised, but Mitch, of course, said no. He happily headed to bed early when Pat was tired. He let Pat sleep, curled up against Mitch’s side, as Mitch scrolled around on his phone until he was tired enough to sleep, too.

The next thing Mitch knew, Pat was pressing a light kiss to his lips to wake him up.

Mitch hummed happily, rubbing his eyes. “Morning, baby,” Pat said cheerily, placing a mug of coffee on Mitch’s bedside table, heading to his side of the bed to sit up with a coffee of his own.

“God, I’ve missed waking up to that beautiful face,” Mitch said, voice still croaky from sleep. 

Pat melted, at that, leaning over (carefully holding his coffee upright) to kiss his forehead. “You’re so cute in the morning,” Pat cooed.

“Only in the morning?” Mitch teased, sitting up and adjusting his pillows behind his back.

Pat rolled his eyes fondly. “Well, sometimes you’re _beautiful._ Other times you’re _sexy._ But all of the time, you’re my husband, and I love you,” he said gently.

Mitch grinned, touched. “I love you more, baby.” He reached out and ran his hand back through Pat’s hair, appreciating the length. “My beautiful boy.”

Pat ducked his head shyly. They were both so happy to be back together.

***

Tim and Steve were enjoying every second they got to spend together. Because the virus had been contained so well in Tasmania, they were able to go out to a restaurant for a romantic dinner together.

They both enjoyed a glass of red wine with their meal, and when they got home, Tim pulled out the whiskey bottle from the cupboard.

“Want some?”

Steve’s eyes lit up with enthusiasm, and Tim just wanted to kiss his fiancé senseless.

“I’d love some,” Steve agreed, making himself comfortable, sitting cross-legged on Tim’s couch.

Tim filled them each a short glass with ice, before pouring some whiskey into the bottom of their glasses.

Steve reached for his glass adorably, both arms outstretched, and Tim couldn’t help himself, leaning in to kiss him.

Steve hummed happily, sucking on Tim’s bottom lip momentarily.

“Love you,” Steve murmured against Tim’s mouth.

Tim kissed him again before sitting beside him on the couch. “Love you more, darling.”

By the time Steve was finishing his second whiskey, twenty minutes later, he was needy for touch, and Tim wouldn’t have had it any other way. Tim drained the last of his glass and settled his back against the arm of the lounge, coaxing Steve to lay down against Tim’s front. Tim bracketed him in with his legs, and Steve sighed contentedly, snuggling back into Tim’s chest before taking both of Tim’s hands in his own.

“I’ve missed cuddling on the couch with you,” Steve murmured, pressing a kiss to Tim’s engagement band.

“Just the cuddling?” Tim teased.

Steve rolled his eyes, though Tim couldn’t see.“And the kisses. And the company. And the sex,” Steve replied.

Tim chuckled, sending pleasant vibrations through Steve’s back. “I’ve missed all of that, too.”

He pressed kisses along the back of Steve’s neck, making him shiver. It was so good to have him home, even though it was just for a little while.

***

Halfway through Pat’s stay in Perth, he woke up to clear, sunny weather and decided they should take advantage of it, and go for a run.

Pat woke Mitch with a soft kiss, but Mitch noticed straight away that the room was lacking the warm, comforting scent of coffee. He cracked an eye open, confused.

“Morning, beautiful,” Pat murmured, stroking Mitch’s hair back, out of his eyes.

“Morning,” Mitch mumbled.

“Look how beautiful the weather is,” Pat marvelled, looking through the scrim curtain.

Mitch screwed up his face. “Don’t tell me you want to go running,” he groaned.

Pat immediately bit back a smile. “Okay, I won’t tell you,” he deadpanned.

Mitch groaned fondly at the awful joke. “I hate you so much, Patty. You’re a bully and you’re mean.”

Pat chuckled. Mitch was so dramatic when he was half asleep.

“Woah, those are fighting words from a man who was asleep two minutes ago,” Pat teased, stroking Mitch’s jaw lightly. “Come on, no excuses. A short run then we can enjoy breakfast and have the whole day together.”

Mitch rolled his eyes, but he knew there was no arguing with Pat when he was motivated like this. 

The idea of a sweaty, warm Pat was what got Mitch out of bed... and then back into it, forty five minutes later.

It ended up being a _very_ late breakfast.

***

Considering half of Pat’s wardrobe lived in Perth, with Mitch, there were a lot of things he still needed to pack to take on tour, and he knew Mitch wouldn’t have started, either.

Mitch sat cross legged on the bed, which they had just made together (which meant Pat was cringing at the crinkles Mitch was putting on the bedspread), and they both intended to pack.

“Mitchy, which suitcase are you taking?”

“The navy one?”

Pat looked at him. “Baby, the handle broke on the last Ashes tour, remember? You had to roll it sideways?”

Mitch cringed. “Oh, I’d forgotten about that,” he admitted.

Pat sighed. “How about the black one with the orange piping?”

Mitch nodded, hopping off the bed to find it in the spare room. He laid it on the floor at the end of their bed, unzipping it so that he could start packing...

But it still had stuff in it.

“Oh my god, Mitchell,” Pat groaned, rubbing his eyes. The case still had screwed up clothes in it - a few Scorchers polos, a pair of pyjama shorts, and a pair of bowling spikes, which had transferred clumps of grass and dirt into the bottom of the case.

“When did you last use this?” Pat asked, unamused.

“Probably last Big Bash season?” Mitch grimaced.

“What happened to ‘I’m never putting off my unpacking again’ after the incident with the wet swimming trunks?” Pat asked, hands on his hips.

“Obviously slipped my mind,” Mitch admitted. “We did have a home ODI series and a wedding to think about, at that point,” he reminded, wrapping his arms around Pat’s waist from behind, hooking his chin over Pat’s shoulder.

Pat sighed, melting into Mitch’s touch, as he always did. “Baby, now we have to clean this stuff before we can move onto packing,” he pointed out.

Mitch knew he’d made a mistake, so he tried to fix it. He pressed kisses along the side of Pat’s stubbly jaw, up behind his ear where he knew Pat loved to be touched, and down along the line of his neck, licking over a light mark he’d left the night before. Pat shivered, and Mitch considered his mission to be successful.

“How about I take the case outside, shake everything out so that the grass and dirt stays in the backyard, put the clothes in the wash and then come back and we can start the new packing?” Mitch suggested.

Pat sighed, giving in. “Okay,” he agreed, turning his head to peck Mitch’s cheeks. “You’re an idiot. Don’t do this again,” Pat suggested, in the softest, most loving attempt at being stern that Mitch had ever heard.

Mitch was grinning, and he let Pat go, pecking him on the cheek before carrying the offending suitcase away. “Yes, boss. I love you,” he grinned.

“Yeah, yeah,” Pat rolled his eyes, but Mitch caught his fond smile before he hid it.

Five minutes later, Mitch deposited the now clean, empty suitcase on the floor at the end of their bed, beside Pat’s case.

Pat had already started packing, and some of his and Mitch’s clothes were folded neatly into little piles.

“How are you so good at this?” Mitch marvelled, stroking Pat’s long hair off of his face so he could press a kiss to Pat’s forehead.

Pat chuckled softly. “Baby, we’ve been travelling for cricket for almost ten years,” he pointed out. “What button up shirts do you want to take? It’s not like we’ll be allowed to go out for dinners, but still.”

Mitch looked at the hanging space in their wardrobe, and picked three out, leaving them on the hangers at Pat’s request.

Pat chuckled softly when he looked at them. “Mitchy, two of those are mine.”

Mitch frowned at the shirts. “Really? I’ve worn them so many times.”

“Yes,” Pat laughed. “Just bring them. Least we know we’ll get some wear out of them,” he teased, tongue between his teeth.

Mitch chuckled, sitting beside Pat on the floor (pretty unhelpfully, though Pat always enjoyed the company.)

***

“Last morning together,” Adam mumbled into Marcus’ bare chest, appreciating the defined pecs and abs that he loved so much.

Marcus frowned, looking down at Adam. “Adsy, we’re gonna spend the next six weeks together,” he reminded.

Adam chuckled, realising his mistake. “I mean here, in your bed,” he amended.

Marcus pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Come on, let me make you the best vegan pancakes you’ve ever had in your life.” Marcus followed up that offer by tickling Adam’s ribs.

Adam giggled, cringing away from Marcus’ fingers.

Marcus gave in, pressing a soft kiss to Adam’s lips before getting up, heading to the kitchen.

Twenty minutes later, the boys were out on Marcus’ deck, enjoying Perth’s morning sun. Adam was wearing one of Marcus’ fleece jumpers, and it was such an adorable sight that Marcus couldn’t stop smiling.

“What?” Adam chuckled, cutting his pancakes with his knife and fork.

“You look so cute in my jumper,” Marcus shrugged.

Adam blushed slightly. “I’m not _cute,”_ he protested, crossing his arms.

“No, you’re big and strong and intimidating, just like me,” Marcus teased, tongue between his teeth.

Adam rolled his eyes, but Marcus saw the corner of his mouth twitch, fighting a smile.

They laughed together softly, for a few moments, before Marcus’ expression turned thoughtful. “After all of this uncertainty, I’m so glad we’re going on tour together,” he admitted softly.

Adam nodded. “Me, too. Never taking any of this for granted, ever again. Especially the time we get to spend together.”

Marcus melted, at that, leaning across the outdoor table to peck Adam’s lips.

***

Steve woke up in Tim’s arms, and it hit him that this was the last morning they would share until the conclusion of both the UK tour, and the IPL.It was going to be an awfully long time.

Steve burrowed his head into Tim’s bare chest, making the older man chuckle softly.

“What are you doing, wriggly worm?” Tim asked fondly, voice croaky from disuse. 

Steve sighed. “I’m not leaving. I’m staying here forever.”

Tim sighed, running a hand back through Steve’s blonde hair. “I wish you could, darling. But you’re finally going to get to play, again. It’s what we’ve hoped for for so long,” Tim reminded.

Steve nodded minutely, giving Tim’s words some thought. “Come with me?”

Tim deflated. “If I could, I would,” he said gently. “But you’re gonna have so much fun. You can finally see Mitchy, Aaron, Glenn... all the boys we haven’t seen in months,” he pointed out.

Steve was still pouting against Tim’s ribs. “But I want to be with you.”

Tim sighed, rubbing Steve’s back soothingly. “I’ll FaceTime and message you so much you get sick of me. We’ve done distance so many times before, bub,” he reminded gently.

They both knew this was going to be even more of a challenge, though.

Steve didn’t respond, so Tim thought it would be best to change the subject. “When you come home, it’ll be time for our home summer, and then it’ll only be a few busy months before we get married.”

Steve cracked a tiny smile, at that. “And then you’ll be my _husband_.”

Tim grinned, tightening his arms around Steve’s back, holding him closer and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed this one! This is going to be the first part of a series about the upcoming tour :)


End file.
